4. The Coach
Every Lakers fan knows that Frank Vogel was not the team’s first choice to coach this team. Heck, even Frank Vogel knows that. And one of their first choices, Monty Williams, is the very early favorite for Coach of the Year honors because of how well his surprising Phoenix Suns are playing.
Furthermore, when Vogel took the job, he had to accept the hiring of Jason Kidd as his assistant. Vogel knew full well that if the team under-performed management wouldn’t hesitate to fire him and promote Kidd to the top spot.
Yet from the start, Vogel has been consistently positive in his approach. He built a reputation at Indiana as a strong defensive coach, and this Lakers squad happily accepted his challenge to excel on that side of the ball. In this early part of the season, the Lakers rank near the top in most defensive categories, including the fewest points allowed per game.
Although the Lakers have not yet fully clicked on offense, Vogel has shown that he knows how to utilize a deep roster. His substitution patterns vary game to game, and even in the course of a game, depending on what the Lakers need most to maintain or change the flow of the game and on how well a particular player is performing that game.
For example, when someone like Daniels is hot, he’ll get more time on the court. When he isn’t hitting his shots, those minutes might go to Caruso or Cook or KCP.
That situational game management even extended to his superstars. In the Chicago game, Davis was ice-cold and in a bit of foul trouble. When the Lakers reserves rallied the team from behind, Vogel kept AD on the bench for longer than usual in the fourth quarter, riding the hot hands of the subs to victory. And Davis seemed to be all for it.
Laker players have also embraced Vogel’s system of sharing the ball. The team is averaging nearly 27 assists per game, which is fourth in the NBA. The second unit has been particularly effective in moving the ball to the open man.
Overall, Vogel must be given credit for setting the right tone and helping to lead the team to its early-season success.